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FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF JERSEY CITY I 




FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY 

JERSEY CITY, N. J. 

1914 



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FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY 

JERSEY CITY, N. J. 



OFFICERS 

NELSON J. H. EDGE, President 

DAVID R. DALY, - Treasurer 

ESTHER E. BURDICK, Librarian 

EDMUND W. MILLER, ------ Secretary 



Ex-Officio 



BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

HON. MARK M. FAGAN, Mayor 
HENRY SNYDER, D. Sc, Supt. of Schools - 
NELSON J. H. EDGE DAVID R. DALY 

BENJAMIN L. STOWE DAVID W. LAWRENCE 

GORDON K. DICKINSON, M. D. 



Gift 

earnest I , t ion 

of Washingt* 



A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW JERSEY. 



Every male citizen of the United States, of the age of twenty- 
one years, and who has been a resident of New Jersey for one 
year and of the county in which he desires to vote for five 
months, before election, may vote in New Jersey. But idiots, in- 
sane persons, paupers, and persons convicted of crime are not 
permitted to vote. 

Under the Constitution of New Jersey the powers of the 
government are divided into three distinct departments: — the 
legislative, the executive and the judicial. 
Legislative Department* 

The legislative power is vested in a Senate and a General 
Assembly. The General Assembly and one-third of the mem- 
bers of the Senate are elected yearly on the first Tuesday after 
the first Monday in November. The two houses meet for or- 
ganization on the second Tuesday in January next after the 
election. 

The Senate is composed of twenty-one members, one being 
elected from each county for a term of three years. The mem- 
bers of the Senate are divided into three classes, one containing 
seven, one eight and another six senators. The terms of all the 
senators of one class expire each year, so that a majority of the 
Senate is always in office. A person to be eligible as a senator 
must have attained the age of thirty years, must have been a 
citizen of the State for four years, and of the county from 
which he is chosen for one year, preceding election. In case of 
vacancy the person elected to fill it serves for the unexpired 
term only. 

The General Assembly is composed of sixty members. 
These are apportioned among the various counties according to 
population, provided that each county has at least one repre- 
sentative and the total number of members does not exceed 
sixty. The apportionment is made at the first session of the 
Legislature following the taking of the United States Census, 
and this apportionment remains unaltered until the next census. 
The members are chosen annually. To be eligible ^a person 
must be twenty-one years old, a citizen of the State two years, 
and of the county from which he is chosen for one year. 

A majority of the members of each house constitutes a 



quorum. Each house chooses its own officers. The members of 
each house receive $500 per year. The president of the Senate 
and the speaker of the House of Assembly receive one third 
more. 

How the Laws are made* 

The business of the legislature is transacted through the 
medium of committees. Most of these are appointed at the be- 
ginning of the session. They vary from year to year, as to 
their names and functions, but in each branch of the legislature 
there are usually committees on appropriations, education, judi- 
ciary, banking and insurance, public health, and other subjects. 

Proposed laws are usually called bills. Under the Constitu- 
tion all laws must begin as follows : ' ' Be it enacted by the 
Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey." 
When a bilOs introduced in the Senate or Assembly it is usually 
referred to one of the committees. In due course of time the 
committee examines the bill and reports it to the house in which 
it originated. According to the Constitution a bill must be 
read three times before its final passage, and the final vote must 
be entered in the Journal or Minutes of the house acting upon 
it. If it receives a majority vote of the whole number of mem- 
bers it is said to have passed that house. It then goes to the 
other branch of the legislature where it undergoes similar treat- 
ment. If, after three readings, the bill receives a majority vote 
of all the members of the second branch of the legislature, it is 
then sent to the Governor for his approval. If the Governor 
signs the bill it becomes a law. 

If the Governor does not approve of the bill he may return 
it within five days to the house in which it originated, with his 
objections in writing. This is known as "vetoing the bill." 
The bill may then be taken up and passed over the Governor's 
veto by a majority of all the members of each house. 

A bill after passing both branches of the legislature may be- 
come a law without the Governor's signature if he retains it for 
five days, not including Sunday, without vetoing it. If, how- 
ever, the legislature has adjourned and thus prevented the 
Governor from returning the bill, then such bill does not become 
a law without his signature. 

All bills for raising money must originate in the House of 
Assembly, but the Senate may propose amendments, as on other 
bills. 



Executive Department, 

The executive powers and functions of the government of 
New Jersey are vested in a governor. 

The Governor must be thirty years old, and a citizen of 
the United States for twenty years and of New Jersey for seven 
years, preceding his election. He must not hold any other pub- 
lic office. He is elected by the legal votes of the State and 
assumes office on the third Tuesday in January following his elec- 
tion. The term is three j'ears, and he cannot serve two terms in 
succession. The salary is $10,000 per year. He is commander-in- 
chief of all the military and naval forces of the State. It is his 
duty to see that the laws are faithfully executed. He can con- 
vene the Legislature or the Senate alone. Every bill which 
passes both houses of the Legislature must be presented to the 
Governor for his approval. In case of death, resignation or im- 
peachment of the Governor, the President of the Senate acts in 
his place until a new Governor is elected. If the President of 
the Senate cannot act as Governor the Speaker of the Assembly 
takes his place. 

The principal administrative officers under the Governor are 
the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, State Comptroller, 
Attorney-General and the Adjutant-General. 

The Secretary of State is appointed by the Governor, with 
the consent of the Senate. He has charge of all the State papers, 
and all laws must be filed with him. The salary is $6,000 per 
year, and the term five years. 

The State Comptroller's duties are to examine and audit all 
the State's accounts. The State Treasurer has charge of all the 
funds of the State. The Comptroller and Treasurer are appointed 
by the Legislature in joint session. The terms are three years 
and the salaries $6,000 per year each. 

The Attorney General is the representative and adviser of 
the State in all legal matters. He is appointed by the Governor, 
with the consent of the Senate, for a term of five years at a 
salary of $7,000 per year. 

The Adjutant General is the executive officer of the State 
Militia. 

Beside these, there are a number of other officers and boards 
which assist in the administration of State affairs. Some of the 
most important of these are as follows : 

The State Board of Assessors, composed of four members, 
and the State Board for the Equalization of Taxes, composed of 

5 



five members. The members of these boards are appointed by 
the Governor, with the approval of the Senate. These boards 
have supervision over the levying and collecting of taxes. 

The State Board of Education consists of eight members ap- 
pointed by the Governor with the approval of the Senate. They 
serve without salary. They have control of the State Normal 
School and several other State educational institutions, appoint 
county superintendents of schools, and make all necessary rules 
and regulations for the proper enforcement of the State school 
laws. 

The Commissioner of Education is appointed by the Governor 
and confirmed by the Senate. He serves for five years and 
receives a salary of $10,000 per year. He has general supervi- 
sion over all public schools. 

The Commissioner of Charities and Corrections is appointed 
by the Governor for a term of three years, and has general super- 
vision over the State prisons and reformatories. 

The Commissioner of Banking" and Insurance, appointed by 
the Governor, has charge of the enforcement of the banking and 
insurance laws. 

The State Board of Health is appointed by the Governor, and 
has charge of the enforcement of the laws concerning the public 
health. It also collects statistics of the number of births and 
marriages and the number and causes of deaths. 

The Civil Service Commission is composed of four members 
appointed by the Governor for terms of four years. They 
conduct competitive examinations for positions in the civil ser- 
vice of the State and of such cities as may adopt the civil service 
law. They also have supervision over all appointments and dis- 
missals in the Civil Service. 

The Public Utilities Commission has control of matters re- 
lating to railroad service, street railways, gas and electric light- 
ing and other public utilities. The members are appointed by 
the Governor. 

There is also the State Board of Agriculture; the State 
Board of Forestry; the Geological Survey; Bureau of Labor 
Statistics; Public Roads Commissioner; Fish and Game Commis- 
sion; and a number of other boards and commissions. Most of 
these are appointed by the Governor. The titles of most of 
these boards indicate the matters over which they have super- 
vision. 

Judicial Department* 

The Judicial power in New Jersey is vested in the Court of 
Errors and Appeals; the Court for the trial of Impeachments; 
the Court of Chancery; the Prerogative Court; the Supreme 



Court; the Court of Pardons, and such inferior courts as may be 
established by the legislature. 

The Court of Errors and Appeals is the court of last resort. 
It is composed of the Chancellor, the Justices of the Supreme 
Court and six lay judges, who are appointed by the Governor 
for a term of six years, arranged so that one goes out of office 
each year. This court hears all cases brought to it on appeal 
from an order or decree issued by the Court of Chancery and all 
appeals or writs of error brought from the Supreme Court. 

The Court for the trial of Impeachments is composed of the 
twenty-one members of the Senate. .Impeachment is the bring- 
ing of charges of official misconduct against an officer. The 
House of Assembly is the only power that can impeach an officer 
of the State of New Jersey. If a majority of the Assembly vote 
to impeach the Governor or any other officer of the State, then 
the Senate tries such officer on the charges made by the Assem- 
bly. A two- thirds vote in the Senate is necessary to convict. 
If convicted, the official can no longer hold any office under the 
State. 

The Court of Chancery is composed of the Chancellor, who 
is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate, 
for a term of seven years, and seven -Vice-Chancellors. This 
court has jurisdiction in all equity cases. 

The Chancellor is the Judge of the Prerogative Court* 
This Court has jurisdiction over certain matters pertaining to 
wills and disputes regarding them, and also hears appeals from 
the Orphans' Court. 

The Supreme Court is composed of a chief justice and eight 
associate justices, appointed for seven years, by the Governor 
with the consent of the Senate. This number may be changed, 
but must not be less than two. Final judgments in any Circuit 
Court may be brought by writ of error into the Supreme Court. 

The Court of Pardons is composed of the Governor, Chancel- 
lor and the lay judges of the Court of Errors and Appeals. A 
majority of this court is necessary to grant pardons, and the 
Governor must be one of such majority. 

The Circuit Courts are held in every county by one of the 
judges of the Supreme Court, or by a judge appointed for the 
purpose. These courts have jurisdiction in concurrence 
with the Supreme Court over all common law cases in the county 
except those of a criminal nature. 

The Court of Common Pleas is a county court and is pre- 
sided over either by a judge specially appointed or by the Judge 
of the Supreme Court holding the Circuit Court within the 
county. This court is for the trial of civil cases. 

Other county and local courts are as follows : Court of 

7 



LIBRARY OF 



CONGRESS 



021 051 389 



Quarter Sessions and the Court of Oyer and Terminer, before 
which are tried criminal cases. These courts are presided over 
by a Supreme Court judge or a county judge. The Orphans' 
Court, before which are tried disputes regarding wills, suits for 
the recovery of legacies, etc. This is presided over by a judge 
of the Court of Common Pleas. The District Courts try civil 
cases where the amount involved does not exceed $300.00. 
They are presided over by judges appointed for the purpose. In 
places where there are no district courts the Justices of the Peace 
may try cases involving small amounts or offences of a minor 
nature. Justices of the peace are elected by the voters of the dis- 
trict in which they act. In the larger cities there are also police 
courts, in which are tried minor cases. The Police Courts are 
presided over by judges appointed by the governing body of the 
city. 

The right of trial by jury is established by the Constitution, 
and all citizens of the State are liable to jury duty unless ex- 
empted because of service in the National Guard, the Civil War 
or the Fire Department. At each of the terms of the Circuit 
Court twenty-five grand jurors are summoned, whose duty it is 
to consider complaints of crime and to take action, by indict- 
ment, against public offenders in the graver crimes. 

The Constitution of New Jersey ♦ 

The present Constitution of New Jersey was ratified by the 
people at an election held August 13, 1844. Since then it has 
remained the same with the exception of a few amendments 
made in 1875 and 1897. 

An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed in the 
Senate or the General Assembly. If it is agreed to by a major- 
ity of the members of the two houses the proposed amendment 
is entered on the journals, with the vote thereon. It is then to 
be submitted to the Legislature next to be chosen, and is to be 
published for three months previous to making such choice in at 
least one newspaper in each county. If the proposed amend- 
ment is agreed to by a majority of both houses of the second 
Legislature it is then submitted to the people at such time as the 
Legislature may prescribe. This must be at least four months 
after the adjournment of the Legislature. If the amendment is 
agreed to by a majority of the people voting upon it, it becomes a 
part of the Constitution. Amendments are not to be submitted 
to the people oftener than once in five years. 



The foregoing outline of the government of New Jersey was compiled from the Consti- 
tution and Statutes of New Jersey and from various other official documents and records 
contained in the Free Public library of Jersey City, by Edmund W. Miller, Assistant li- 
brarian. 

Jersey City. January, 1914. 

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